"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." Saint Francis De Sales

Friday, December 20, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 126)

1. The Temptations released their number one single on December 21, 1964, “My Girl.” I was a senior in high school.


2. This is a picture of our Advent Wreath.


3. I was part of the setup crew for our nativity scene at church. We have multiple crews, each working on a specific part of the project.



4. Peter O’Toole reached his final journey last Saturday at age 81. My favorite movies were “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Lion in Winter” and “Becket.” NPR had an excellent article on him. 


5. Just in case you missed Steve Givens blog last week. He wrote a beautiful Christmas reading, “The Journey Begins.”

“The journey begins, not at Nazareth as Joseph and Mary prepare for their trip to the City of David, but at a time much earlier.

It begins with darkness…and God…and the Word.

It begins at creation, when God called forth light, life and those made in His own image.

It begins with a man and a woman, banished from the garden and crying out for a new source of life and salvation.

It begins with a son, standing over the slain body of his brother and listening to the sound of blood crying out from the ground.

It begins with a great flood and the promise of a rainbow.

It begins on a mountain top, with a father’s hand ready to sacrifice his son.

It begins with a child, drawn like water from the river by a Pharaoh’s daughter.

It begins with a bush, burning but not consumed, on a small parcel of holy ground.

It beings with plagues and the deaths of first-born children, with years of wandering in the desert, with manna from heaven and water flowing from rocks, with towers of flame and parted seas, with covenants and commandments and temples and sacred meals.

It begins with songs of praise, psalms of thanksgiving, and words of wisdom for those wise enough to listen.

It begins with the words of prophets, warning of coming destruction and telling of the coming of a Messiah.

It begins with a voice in the wilderness crying, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”

It begins with the stirrings of life inside a chosen woman.

It begins on the road to Bethlehem…”

6. “Don’t be afraid to go to the Sacrament of Confession, where you will meet Jesus who forgives you.”        Pope Francis

Tuesday evening was “Reconciliation Service” at our church. Father John led a short service of readings and reflection. We had eight priests in attendance for personal confession. I removed the dust of sins and polished my heart.

7. Merry Christmas from Dee and I. 






Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.

Friday, December 13, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 125)

1. Sunday’s Gospel, MT 3:1-12, is not the type of message that one would send out at Christmas. Imagine receiving a Christmas card from John the Baptist that said, “Repent you viper, do not presume to say to yourselves that you have Abraham as your father.” Merry Christmas. It's not very Merry, but sometimes we need be roused. We believe we are righteous because we attend church and give alms. We don’t recognize our sins. Our eyes are closed to what we should be seeing. We need to open them, we need to be reminded. Advent along with the words of John the Baptist gives us this opportunity. Don't let it pass you by.

2. “Confessing our sins may be difficult for us, but it brings us peace. We are sinners, and we need God’s forgiveness.”   Pope Francis

Father John suggests that we should not look at reconciliation as a burden. Image a table that sits in a room that you don’t go into often. When you do enter and look at the table you see that it has collected dust. So you polish the table and it becomes clean and shines once again. Our sins are like the dust. It gathers, slowly at first but then it builds and needs to be removed. We should think of reconciliation as a polishing of our hearts, shining for God.

3. Dee and I attended “Advent Lessons and Carols” Sunday night. It was an evening of readings, music, and prayer. One of my favorite music pieces was “Let the Bright Seraphim,” by G.F. Handel. Our music director Patricia was on the piano, Steven on trumpet and Patricia sang soprano. It was beautiful. I became immersed in the song as the instruments and voice blended together. 


“Let the bright seraphim in burning row
Their loud, uplifted angel trumpets blow
Let the cherubic host in tuneful choirs
Touch their immortal harps with golden wires.”  

Of the readings, I enjoyed “To Believe,” written by one of our young parish members, J.P. Clifford.

“To believe, is to jump and hope to live,
To believe, is to trust in your soul.
To believe, is to soar in the wind and fall,
If you fall off a cliff hope to see another day,
To believe is to fly.

To believe, is to will to win
Or jump, and hope to be caught.
To believe, is not to be afraid but accept what happens,
To believe, is to glide.

If you get scared and start thinking about death,
Then you are not believing in God.
When you believe in god you believe in yourself,
To believe, is to soar.”

4. On December 12, 1970 Smokey Robinson and the Miracles were number one on the “Billboard Hot 100.” The song was "Tears Of A Clown"
Read more about it at Wikipedia.

5. “Paraprosdokians are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous.”      Phil

1. Where there's a will, I want to be in it..
2. Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
3. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
4. War does not determine who is right - only who is left.
5. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
6. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.
7. I didn't say it was your fault; I said I was blaming you.
8. I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure.
9. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
10. I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

6. Pope Francis, “Time” Person of the Year. Not a surprise to me. From “USA Today” was the following paragraph that sums up the reason for the selection from “Time.”

"As Pope, he was suddenly the sovereign of Vatican City and head of an institution so ­sprawling—with about enough followers to populate China—so steeped in order, so snarled by bureaucracy, so vast in its charity, so weighted by its scandals, so polarizing to those who study its teachings, so mysterious to those who don't, that the gap between him and the daily miseries of the world's poor might finally have seemed unbridgeable," Time says. "Until the 266th Supreme Pontiff walked off in those clunky shoes to pay his hotel bill."

7. “Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his Creator. It exalts the greatness of the Lord who made us and the almighty power of the Savior who sets us free from evil. Adoration is homage of the spirit to the "King of Glory," respectful silence in the presence of the "ever greater" God. Adoration of the thrice-holy and sovereign God of love blends with humility and gives assurance to our supplications.” 
We started Adoration at our Church on December 6 and will have it every Friday. The Rite performed by Father John was moving. It provided alone time with God and reflection on my journey with Him.






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Friday, December 6, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 124)

1. The Irish Lads lost to the Cardinal 27-20. They end the season with an 8-4 record. 

2. The toughest tongue twister has been created by some MIT researchers. 
“Pad kid poured curd pulled cod.” 
Read the article here at FOX News. No, I can’t say it ten times, It’s tough enough trying to say it once.

3. I finished picking up the leaves in our yard this week. Everything looks much better. This should be the end of leaves for this season.

4. The television rendition of "Sound of Music" was excellent. Carrie Underwood and Stephen Moyer were terrific. I also enjoyed actress Laura Benanti and Audra McDonald in their rolls. The children were wonderful and the music beautiful. A lot of talent and well directed. It is a wonderful family play.


From the St. Nicholas Center
6. Please pray for the soul of Nelson Mandela, for all his family, friends and the people of South Africa. 
7.  December 7, 1941. “A date which will live in infamy.” There are still veterans from that day. Please remember them and their lost comrades. 



Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.

Friday, November 29, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 123)

1. The National Catholic Youth Conference was last weekend. The Church of the Epiphany was proud to sponsor a youth team for this event. 

2. “To be saints is not a privilege for the few, but a vocation for everyone.” Pope Francis
I have read and enjoyed “My Life with the Saints,” by Fr. James Martin, SJ. The suffering, sinning and coming to Grace with God that they went through humbled me. How could I even come close to this. But as I thought about it more, I realized that they were just ordinary people like me. Still, I can’t imagine myself as a Saint, but maybe I shouldn’t. If I just love and care for others, pray and study scripture, then I can be an earthly saint. One that will not be canonized, but one who follows what Jesus teaches.

3. The Spiders ended their season with a win over William & Mary at home. They finished 6-6 for the season.

4. It was “Senior Day” for the Irish Lads on Saturday as they triumphed over BYU 23-13. This puts them at 8-3. Next Saturday they travel to Stanford, California to face the Cardinals at home. They are at 9-2.  

5. November 26, 1942 was the debut of “Casablanca.” The movie starred Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. One of my favorite characters was Captain Louis Renault, played by Claude Rains. This is one of those timeless movies that I enjoy watching. “Here’s Looking At You, Kid.” 


6. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I pray that your day was filled with love, family, friends and good food. 


The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe.

7. Last night was sleep-over at Grandma Dee’s. It’s always a blessing having them spend the night with us. This morning we watched “Do-Re-Mi” performed by Chester See & Mike Tompkins along with the cast of Carrie Underwood’s Sound of Music. We are also continuing with a new family tradition of putting up our Christmas tree and having the girls help decorate it.



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Friday, November 22, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 122)

1. Deacon Arthur gave his first Homily on Sunday. He is a quiet speaking man that delivers his message with authority and conviction. We are blessed to have him as part of our church community.

2. The 1st Maryland Regiment, 1776. This unit took part in the following engagements. Long Island, Harlem Heights, White Plains, Trenton-Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Camden, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, Hobkirk Hill. Ninety-Six and Eutaw Springs. It is a unit that served it’s country well. This is my primary Southern Campaign unit. It fits in with the 4th Maryland Regiment, I painted back in August. Figures are Old Glory Miniatures


3. Saturday was another exciting game for the Spiders. They came from behind and beat the Blue Hens 64-43. This puts their record at 5-6. November 23 William and Mary will enter Robins Stadium for the final game of the season. 

4. On November 17, 1958, the Kingston Trio’s song, “Tom Dooley” was number one on the “Billboard” pop chart. Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds and Dave Guard became “folk music” legend. They are still around and performing.


5. Prayers for my sister Kim who had her appendix removed. She is in the hospital recovering and doing well.

6. I am not a real fan of basketball but enjoy an evening with friends when we attend the Richmond Spider games. Tuesday night we watched an exciting game at the newly renovated Robins Center. My observation of the game of basketball is that all the action always occurs at the end of the game. I marvel at how the coaches can take the last two minutes of a game and stretch it out to what seems like 20 minutes. Tuesday night was one of those moments. The Spiders had been trailing the entire game and at the two minute mark the score was 55-58. They then tied Hofstra, 58-58, with less than a minute to play. A shot by one of the Hofstra players was blocked and that led to overtime. The Spiders finished 74-63. 

7. Next week is “Black Friday” and the ads are overwhelming as always. If you’re thinking about tech gifts for your family members, I suggest you read the article by Kim Komando at USA Today. “6 tech gifts you shouldn’t buy this holiday season.”

Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary

Friday, November 15, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 121)

1. Ancestry.com has launched a website to honor those who served our country. This is an opportunity to find someone you know or add information about a friend or relative who served. The link is here. My Dad Paul and Dee's Dad Frank.

Paul Peter Forgette 1946
Frank C. Siracusa 1945
2. The Spiders, led by quarterback Michael Strauss, played hard against the Stony Brook Seawolves last Saturday. Both teams were on top at one point, but the Spiders came back winning 39-31. This puts them at 4-6.

3. The Irish Lads had a disappointing loss against the Pittsburgh Panthers. They are now at 7-3 and host the BYU Cougars on November 23.

4.  On November 15, 1958, Elvis Presley starred in his first movie, “Love Me Tender.” This was the first of over 30 movies that he made.

5. Cowboys have always been my heroes. The Cisco Kid, Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger. All of them had television programs which I watched every week. In the summer of about 1954 my Mom took a picture of my brother Tom and I. Fortunately the photo is still around, so I’m sharing it here.

The infamous Forgette brothers.
6. Dee and I are proud to announce that Todd, our middle son, completed his EdD this week. (A doctorate in Educational Leadership.) He is the first of our family to complete this level of education.


7. There is still much work to be completed in the Philippines. Fortunately many countries are sending food, medicine and relief workers. Please continue your prayers. If possible support what ever you can through your church, local relief effort or the Catholic Relief Services. 


Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.

Friday, November 8, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 120)

1. Last weekend was “Homecoming” at the University of Richmond. The Spiders won over the Albany Great Danes in front of a sell-out crowd. Their record is now 3-6.

2. It was a close and exciting game with the Irish Lads finishing ahead of the Navy Midshipmen 38-34. Both teams played well and made this an enjoyable game to watch. The win puts the Lads at 7-2 as they travel to Pittsburg on November 9. 

3. Saturday was the dedication of the Columbarium at the Church of the Epiphany. Our pastor Father John was joined by Msgr. Shreve, Father Jim, Father Michael and Deacon Arthur in this momentous event. It has taken a few years to complete the project that was started by Father Randy when he was pastor.

Deacon Arthur, Fr. John, Fr. Jim, Fr. Michael & Msgr. Shreve
4. On November 6,1789, John Carroll was appointed the first Catholic bishop in the United States. 

“Carroll was born in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, in 1735. His mother came from a wealthy family and had been educated in France. At age 13, Carroll sailed for France in order to complete his own education at St. Omer's College in French Flanders. At age 18, he joined the Society of Jesus, and after a further 14 years of study in Liege, he received ordination as a priest at age 34. Pope Clement XIV's decision in 1773 to dissolve the Jesuit order, however, ended Carroll's European career.
Three years after Carroll's return to Maryland, the need to make allies of French Catholics in Canada created an opportunity for him to join a Congressional delegation dispatched to negotiate with the Canadians. Benjamin Franklin served on the same delegation, and although the mission failed, Franklin proved an excellent ally to Carroll. In 1784, Franklin recommended to the papal nuncio in Paris that Carroll assume the position of Superior of Missions in the United States of North America, which removed American Catholics from the authority of the British Catholic hierarchy. In this role, as bishop and ultimately as the first archbishop in the United States (1808), Carroll oversaw the creation of leading Catholic institutions in the new nation, including the nation's first Catholic university (Georgetown University, founded in 1789) and cathedral (Baltimore Basilica, built in 1806)” History.Com
5. We are in the “old-time” versus “new time” realm. It usually takes Dee a week to adjust to Daylight Saving Time. Although I think she does this just to make me laugh. She throws one these anecdotes at just the right moment. I’m blessed to have her as my wife and soul mate.   

6. The election is over. There will be no more political television ads, no more political mail and no more political telephone calls. The results are Terry McAuliffe, Democrat with 48% of the vote. Ken Cuccinelli, Republican at 45% of the vote. Robert Sarvis, Libertarian with 7% of the vote. My candidate did not win.

7. Politics have not changed since 400BC Greece. The Greek philosopher Plato wrote: “Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.”



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Friday, November 1, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 119)

1. We had a “Beach Group” dinner party Saturday evening at our house. The “girls” prepared chili, taco soup, salad, fresh shrimp and desert. I cooked sausage on the grill that Dee and I brought back from the Sloan Super Market in Buffalo, New York. There were a few bottles of wine, interesting discussion and plenty of laughter.

Dee, Susan, Jeanine, Pam, Brenda & Maureen
Me, Tony, Roger, Lou, Dave & Jack
2 .The Spiders lost to Towson on Saturday putting their record at 2-6. They host Albany on November 2.

3. Quarterback Tommy Rees threw for 284 yards with a career-high five touchdown passes against the Air Force Falcons. The win put the Irish Lads at 6-2. Navy travels to Notre Dame on November 2.

4. Our son Stephen and his Truck Company 24, “C” Platoon, were awarded the Meritorious Service award. They received the award for a river rescue they completed on the James River last summer. The photo shows half of the Company.

Joel, Stephen & Ryan
5. October 26, 1881: Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp and Doc Holiday shot it out at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. The faced Ike and Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury and Billy Claiborne. The most famous gun fight in the west. 

The best movie depicting the incident was “Tombstone,” made in 1993. Kurt Russell was a perfect Wyatt Earp while Val Kilmer made the character Doc Holiday. 
Memorable lines.
Val Kilmer; “I’m your huckleberry” and “Why Johnny Ringo. You look like someone just walked over your grave.” 
     Kurt Russell; “I don’t think I’ll let you arrest us today.”

Kurt Russell & Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Kurt Russell & Bill Paxton

6. Happy Halloween!


A Lady Pirate & her Knight
7. Happy All Saints Day. Dee and I will be attending Mass at Epiphany and assisting as needed with Hospitality.


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Friday, October 25, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 118)

1. Our son Todd joined Dee and I for an afternoon at the “Central Virginia Celtic Festival & Highland Games.” The weather was a bit rainy but not cold. We visited the Clan Turnbull tent and met Wally Turnbull who is the President of the Turnbull Clan Association. My mother's Scottish clan. Yes, I wear the Turnbull kilt at these functions.

The Greater Richmond Pipe and Drums, my band when I played the pipes, were competing. It was good spending time with them and then cheering them on as they won 1st place.

Ate some great fish and chips and drank a few pints of Guinness. Dee was our designated driver.

Me & Wally Turnbull
The Greater Richmond Pipe & Drums
2. The Irish Lads held the USC Trojans 14-10 Saturday. Gary Klein wrote about it in the “Los Angeles Times.” They head to Colorado to face Air Force this Saturday the 26. 
Record at 5-2.

3. “Our Story in 2 Minutes” is a video put together by a high school student. An excellent job.


4. On October 25, 1854, Lord James Cardigan led the charge of the Light Brigade cavalry against Russian artillery. More details at Wikipedia.
I enjoy classic movies and one of my favorites is “The Charge of the Light Brigade.” Made in 1936, it starred Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. A great historical fiction film.  

Nigel Bruce, Errol Flynn, Patrick Knowles 1936 - Charge of the Light Brigade

The Light Brigade - 1936 Movie
5. Randy Booth has been writing about two young children from the same family. Two year old Evan joined out Father on October 12, 2013 while his older sister Sadie is in the hospital. I don’t know the details, but both were in an auto accident. Sadie is recovering, slowly. Prayers for the children and family are welcomed.
On Tuesday, Randy wrote a beautiful blog, “Bitter-Sweet.” This is his first paragraph. It touched my heart and reminded me of God’s love for us.

“This past week I have been reminded of the fact that all of this life is bitter-sweet. Every sweet thing has some taint of a fallen world, yet in every bitter thing there are remnants of the sweet, unfallen world as well. Even in the greatest of what we call “tragedies,” even in the darkness, the power and goodness of God shines forth and hope moves us forward. God mends, saves, and resurrects. He brings good out of evil. Even in the storm, He comes to us. In our weakness He is made strong; and He makes us strong. While we cannot usually see very far ahead, nevertheless, if we can see Him in the storm, if we can hear His still small voice, then we have a Lighthouse that will bring us to safety. “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life’” (John 8:12).”

6. The Apple iPad Air, iPad Mini with Retina display, Mac Pro, New MacBooks and free OS X Mavericks. Read about these new announcements here at “USA TODAY.” 

7. This is I an interesting message that probably would have made things easier to resolve.





Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.
This week being hosted at Clan Donaldson.

Friday, October 18, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 117)


1. October 14,1066 Duke William of Normandy defeated King Harold II of England. Known as the Battle of Hastings, it ended the Anglo-Saxon era of England.

Death of King Harold - Bayeux Tapestry
2. Phil and Don Everly had their first hit on October 14, 1957. “Wake Up Little Susie.”


3. The Richmond Spiders lost to James Madison 38-31 last Saturday putting them at 2-4. It was a tough loss for the team, and the fans. But the season continues as they face Rhode Island on October 19.

4. Dee and I ate breakfast at this coffee shop while traveling back from Buffalo, New York. It is located in Ellicottville, New York, an area popular for winter skiing. The morning was crisp so some patrons were enjoying their coffee in front of the fire outside.



5. The Church of the Epiphany will be dedicating our new Columbarium on November 2, 2013. This is a picture of me in front of our niche.



6. Msgr. Shreve and Father John, the Epiphany Duo.



7. I'm thankful that our Government is back on track, even though there is still much to be accomplished. Lord please give them the wisdom and patience to arrive at decisions that will he helpful for our country. Help them to understand that their actions affect the people of our country. 

Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.

Friday, October 11, 2013

My Slow Takes (Vol. 116)


1. Dee and I were in Buffalo, New York last weekend and watched the Bill’s squeeze a win over the Raven’s. My sister Kim and her husband Frank coordinated the tailgate party and tickets. A combination of family, friends and great weather made it an enjoyable day.

The Bill's entering the field.
Syracuse University Band at halftime.
2. On our trip to Buffalo we saw “crossing signs” that we don’t see in Virginia. Bears!



3. The Spider’s were off last weekend but face James Madison in Harrisonburg this Saturday. They are at 2-3. 

The Irish lads played a great game against Arizona State winning 37-34. They are at 4-2 and play at home against USC on October 19.

4. October 7 is the 250th anniversary of the Royal Proclamation of 1763. The British Government intended to protect the Native North Americans from infringement on their territories.
“We do further declare it to be Our Royal Will and Pleasure, for the present as aforesaid, to reserve under our Sovereignty, Protection, and Dominion, for the use of the said Indians, all the Lands and Territories not included within the Limits of Our said Three new Governments, or within the Limits of the Territory granted to the Hudson's Bay Company, as also all the Lands and Territories lying to the Westward of the Sources of the Rivers which fall into the Sea from the West and North West as aforesaid.”
The Proclamation drew a line separating the British territory from the Native territory. The land speculators and colonists did not agree with this. The line was pushed back as new treaties were made. The Native population lost land and continued to move further west. More info at Wikipedia.
A portion of eastern North America; the 1763 "proclamation line" is the border between the red and the pink areas.
5. Restoring the Military death benefits is a welcomed decision. What bothers me is that it was allowed to get to this point. We have been through shutdowns before and have not learned a thing. What if we posted a list of  the elected officials who allowed the shutdown. Then when their reelection comes around we don’t support them. Clean out the old and replace with new. Just my two cents.
6. The Senate has a Chaplain and his name is Barry Black. His prayer, as reported by USA Today.

"Lord, when our federal shutdown delays payments of death benefits to the families of children dying on faraway battlefields, it's time for our lawmakers to say 'enough is enough'," Black said. "Cover our shame with the robe of your righteousness. Forgive us, reform us and make us whole."
7. It's raining and has been since Tuesday. I'm okay with the rain as it brings to mind Steve Givens line, "This rain, hitting off the deck outside the door and splashing noiselessly into the thirsty earth, today speaks to me of prayer and the presence of God." Amen.


Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.